Spring propelled toy vehicle



June 30, 1953 INVENTOR.

*% RAYMOND J POULIN 3| MG. 5 HIS ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and has particular reference to a spring-propelled vehicle of the racing car type.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive toy of the type referred to. More specifically it is the object of the invention to provide improved means for winding the spring by means of which the vehicle is propelled to the end that suflicient power may be stored in the spring to propel the vehicle along a considerable distance and over any type of ground surface on which a child would be likely to run such toy. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for controlling the winding of the spring. These and other objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description and by referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a spring propelled toy vehicle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding view of the front portion of the vehicle with the near portion of the framing thereof broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is a substantially corresponding view taken from the opposite side of the vehicle;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the front end of the vehicle with the upper portion of the framing and the outwardly flaring lower portion thereof shown in broken outline for the sake of clearness; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views of a portion of the device the function and importance whereof is hereinafter fully explained.

As shown in Fig. l, the toy includes a vehicle body which is placed on front and rear wheels 2, 3, respectively. The front wheels are rigidly secured to an axle 4 which, through mechanism which will now be described in detail, is operatively connected for rotation by means of a spiral spring 5 which for convenience of description may be termed the power spring of the device. The axle tl is for this purpose shown fitted with pinion it which, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is in mesh with the teeth of a gear wheel l l of a stud l2. A pinion i3 is mounted on this stud for rotation with the gear II and it is in permanent mesh with a larger gear [4 of a shaft IE to which one end of the clock spring 5 is secured, substantially as indicated at H in the drawings. The outer end of the power spring is shown hooked on to a bracket 8 of the vehicle body.

Gear teeth I8 are cut into one end of the shaft l5 and these teeth are permanently in mesh with the teeth 19 of a gear wheel which forms part of a thimble-shaped member 23 riding on a hub 21 inwardly projecting from the vehicle body I. This hub is shown perforated to provide a bearing for a tubular shank 22 of an operating lever 23. In the inner end of this shank are cut ratchet teeth 24 for engagement with ratchet teeth 25 projecting from the inner surface of the member 2%. A stem 26 is extended through a perforation 27 of the lever 23 and the outer end of this stem is fitted with a head 26 riding in an enlargement at the outer end of the perforation 21. The inner end of the stem is at 28 shown somewhat reduced in diameter fittingly to extend through the perforation of the member 28, whereupon the end of the stem is peened to provide a head 29 by means of which the stem is locked rigidly in position in the member. However, before the stem is mounted in position, I have placed a spring 30 about the stem and the ends of this spring are extended through a perforation 3| of the lever 23 and 32 of the member 20 to maintain the spring in position within the tubular shank 22. From this it follows that the spring will urge the teeth of the lever shank into engagement with the teeth of the member and that the lever 23 may be swung upwardly from the horizontal position in full outline of Fig. 1 through an arc of above 180, further movement being arrested by the housing of the wheel axle 4.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the body of the vehicle is, at the point where the shank 22 is supported, shown outwardly extended to form a hub 33, the outer surface of which is shaped to form a rising cam 34 on which a projection 35 of the lever shank is fitted to ride thereby to withdraw the shank a short distance within its bearing 2| as the lever 23 approaches and reaches the horizontal position of Fig. 1 to disengage ratchet teeth 24 from 25; but the moment the lever is caused to swing upwardly to wind the power spring 5 it is found that the spring as will draw the shank back into engagement with the ratchet teeth 25 of the member 24].

It should be clear to those versed in the art that the lever 23 may, in the manner above described, be swung back and forth to wind up the power spring, the ratchet teeth of the members being locked together to rotate the shaft l5 on the forward stroke of the lever, but it is seen that the teeth are free to slip out of engagement on the return stroke of the lever, against the tension of the spring 30. From this it is seen that the chain of gears from the operating lever to the axle 4 would remain operatively interconnected on the upward stroke of the lever and that for this reason the vehicle wheels 2 would rotate during the power stroke of the lever. In order to permit of such rotation, it would be necessary to hold the vehicle elevated above the ground, a condition which would be very inconvenient. It would furthermore be necessary to lower the vehicle to the ground before commencing the return stroke of the lever and to hold the vehicle in this position to prevent the vehicle wheels from spinning and so again to unwind the power spring, This difficulty may be overcome in the following manner.

It was above stated that the gear H and the pinion l3 are mounted on a stud I2. By referring to the drawings, it is noticed that this stud projects from one end of a lever 40 which is hung for rotation on the power spring shaft 15. This lever which may be termed the release lever is so shaped and proportioned that the front end thereof, on which the gears II and 13 are hung to rotate, is considerably heavier than its rear end. It is found fo this reason that the force of gravity will normally maintain the gear H in mesh with the axle pinion l0 but that, on the upward power stroke of the operating lever, the teeth of the gear H are free to rise out of contact with the teeth of the pinion l0 and so permit rotation of a portion of the gears to wind K the power spring while the vehicle wheels are held in contact with the ground. The moment the return stroke of the operating lever is initiated, it is found that not only the over-balancing weight of the front end of the release lever 40 but also pressure of the power spring, tending to unwind itself, will instantly return the gear I I into engagement with the axle pinion H]. The operating lever may then be returned to its initial position and the vehicle is ready to start moving as soon as manually released for movement. In addition, it is merely required to limit the upward swinging movement of the lever 40 and this may be done as shown in the drawings by projecting a lug 1 from the inner surface of the vehicle body in close proximity to the rear end 4| of the lever. When these parts are properly proportioned, it is seen that the surface 4| will contact the lug l the moment the ear II has become disconnected from the axle pinion 10.

It was above stated that the spring pressure may be powerful enough to propel the vehicle a considerable distance even over comparatively rough ground, But it is also found that, when smooth tires are placed on the wheels in conformity to ordinary toy vehicle manufacturing practice, the speeding car may strike an uneven spot and jump free of the ground, instantly to permit the power spring to unwind itself before the wheels again touch the ground.

In order to overcome this difficulty and so as to provide a practical and operable toy vehicle, I have succeeded in developing a tire structure which can be relied upon to maintain the wheels in contact with ordinary rough ground surfaces even at high speed. Such tire is illustrated in Fig. 4, to be of solid rubber construction of conventional outline, the tread of which is deeply grooved to form a series of thin, soft circular ribs or flanges 50. These flanges will, during rotations of the wheels instantly and continuously adapt themselves to irregularities of the ground surface and so maintain a firm grip thereon. Without such tires, the vehicle could all) 4 not operate on ordinary paved or unpaved ground surfaces. The tires do, for this reason, constitute an important essential part of the device.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a powerful toy which is convenient to operate. It is furthermore important to note that by the introduction of an operating lever which remains stationary while the spring unwinds during the forward movement of the car, I have been able to shape and to locate this lever in such manner that it resembles the exhaust pipe so prominently displayed in racing cars. This adds considerably to the value of the toy in addition to which such long handle constitutes a much more convenient winding element than the small finger pieces ordinarily employed for such purposes.

I claim:

1. A spring propelled vehicle having traction wheels rigid on its front axle, the vehicle having a hub inwardly projecting from one side thereof, a propelling pinion rigid on the vehicle axle, a power shaft in the vehicle parallel with the axle thereof, said shaft having gear teeth at one end thereof, a power spring having one end thereof anchored in said shaft, the other end of the spring being fastened to the vehicle body, an operating handle having its inner end bent to form a shank seated for oscillation within said hub, the shank having ratchet teeth on the inner face thereof, a gear wheel coaxially seated for rotation on the hub in mesh with the gear teeth of the power shaft, said gear wheel having ratchet teeth on one end thereof for engagement with the ratchet teeth of the handle, means urging the handle shank inwardly to move the teeth of the shank into engagement with the gear wheel teeth to wind the power spring upon rotation of the handle, a gear wheel rigid on the power shaft, a lever rotatable on the power shaft, and a pinion pivotally mounted on one end of said lever and permanently in mesh with the power shaft gear wheel, the weight of said pinion tilting the lever normally to maintain the pinion in mesh with the vehicle axle pinion, rotation of the power shaft to wind the spring causing the pinion of the lever to rise out of mesh with the axle pinion.

2. A spring propelled vehicle having traction wheels rigid on its front axle, the vehicle having a hub inwardly projecting from one side thereof, a propelling pinion rigid on the vehicle axle, a power shaft in the vehicle parallel with the axle thereof, said shaft having gear teeth at one end thereof, a power spring having one end thereof anchored in said shaft, the other end of the spring being fastened to the vehicle body, an operating handle having its inner end bent to form a shank seated for oscillation within said hub, the shank having ratchet teeth on the inner face thereof, a gear wheel coaxially seated for rotation on the hub in mesh with the gear teeth of the power shaft, said gear wheel having ratchet teeth on one end thereof for engagement with the ratchet teeth of the handle, a spring within the shank of the handle urging the teeth of the handle into engagement with the gear wheel teeth to wind the power spring upon rotation of the handle, a gear wheel rigid on the power shaft, a lever rotatable on the power shaft, and a pinion pivotally mounted on one end of said lever and permanently in mesh with the power shaft gear wheel, the weight of said pinion tilting the lever normally to maintain the pinion in mesh with the vehicle axle pinion, rotation of the power shaft to wind the spring causing the pinion of the lever to rise out of mesh with the axle pinion.

3. A spring propelled vehicle having traction wheels rigid on its front axle, the vehicle having a hub inwardly projecting from one side thereof and a cam on the outer surface of the hub, a propelling pinion rigid on the vehicle axle, a power shaft in the vehicle parallel with the axle thereof, said shaft having gear teeth at one end thereof, a power spring having one end thereof anchored in said shaft, the other end of the spring being fastened to the vehicle body, an operating handle having its inner end bent to form a shank seated for oscillation within said hub, the shank having ratchet teeth on the inner face thereof, a gear wheel coaxiall seated for rotation on the hub in mesh with the gear teeth of the power shaft, said gear wheel having ratchet teeth on one end thereof for engagement with the ratchet teeth of the handle, means urging the teeth of the handle into engagement with the gear wheel teeth to wind the power spring upon rotation of the handle, a projection on the handle at the shank thereof riding on said cam to maintain the ratchet teeth References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,446,476 Mitchell Feb. 27, 1923 1,911,546 Berger May 30, 1933 1,930,450 Langos Oct. 10, 1933 2,012,343 Goriup Aug. 2'7, 1935 2,182,529 Wyrick Dec. 5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,171 Germany Apr. 25, 1933 

